


Fractured

by izthebookfreak



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Fox Miraculous, Marichat because YAS, No Smut, adrienette - Freeform, someone being mad mad at Ladybug because what's new
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 04:10:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7998073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/izthebookfreak/pseuds/izthebookfreak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a shooting erupts at Marinette's cafe, causing Ladybug to reveal to Chat Noir her alter ego. But even though Adrien wants to get know the love of his life better, he must first help Marinette move past the trauma she's endured, become aquatinted with his new temporary partner, and face a new enemy in Paris.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The moment the man spoke to her, Marinette had felt agitated. Now she knew why.

Marinette was washing the dishes in the back when she heard the bell ring, signaling her that a new customer had arrived. The noise reminded her of Chat Noir and his own bell, which she had rang on multiple occasions. The thought of his smile brought warmth to her cheeks. She missed the poor kitty. There hadn’t been an akuma in weeks, and though she was grateful for the break, the hero couldn’t help but want to see her partner again. What she wouldn’t give to here another terrible pun or see a flirtatious grin grow on his face. Marinette never thought she’d want to hear another one of his awful one liners. But now that she had been Chat-less for so long, the idea of his presence made her giddy.

“Marinette! The counter!” she heard her father call from the kitchen. Marinette’s mom was in China for the weekend, visiting her brother. With Sabine’s absence, the teenager girl was given more responsibilities in the bakery than she had ever had before. That included taking orders from customers. She shook her head, trying to push thoughts of Chat Noir to the back of her mind.

“Sorry, Papa!” The girl ran to front of the store and took a huge breathe when she reached the cash register. “Welcome to Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Can I help you?” Marinette had been smoothing out her apron, and when she raised her head to make eye contact with the customer, she realised he was not a regular. The unfamiliar man was quite tall and lengthy, topped with short brown hair kept in a fedora. His hands were stuffed in a brown overcoat that covered a pair of nice jeans.

“Yes, actually,” the man’s voice was loud and bold, but much gruffer than she imagined. While Marinette thought he would order, he began to pull a metallic object slowly out of his jacket and lifted it to the girl’s head.

Marinette’s eyes widened as she looked at the gun pointed towards her. The world seemed to slow down as she stared at the weapon, frozen with shock and fear. For a moment she couldn’t do anything. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t speak. Heck, she couldn’t breathe. Everything seemed to fade behind her. All she could think about was the cold pistol staring at her.

“D-do you want m-money?” she finally stammered, but the man only laughed. A smirk crawled across the man’s lips, sending a shiver down her spin. His fingers began wrapping around the trigger, causing Marinette clench up. Though, instead of putting a bullet in her head, he lifted the gun quickly and pulled the trigger, sending three shots towards the ceiling Marinette covered her ears, attempting to quiet the deafening blast, but there was still a ringing noise when removed her hands. Several others in the bakery screamed and crawled under the tables. Some tried to open the doors and escape, but they seemed to have been locked. When she looked back at the man, the weapon had been pointed at her again.

The baker came running in, startled by the noise. “What is going-” he stopped when he saw the madman holding a gun to his daughter.

“EVERYONE GET ON THE GROUND!”

The twenty or so people in the cafe slowly bent down to the cold, tile, floor, terrified by the strange villain. As marinette crouched down, she quietly pulled out her phone, opening her contacts and scrolling through the list of names. With nervous hands, she clicked at the first A-name she recognized, praying it was Alya, but settling for anyone. With the device on speaker, she crawled to the man, trying to bring the microphone as close as possible. “Hello?” she heard a male’s voice ask across the line. “Who is this?”

“LISTEN UP, PEOPLE!” the man yelled at the civilians, his back conveniently turned to Marinette, “I know that Ladybug is in that building.” Marinette felt her heart stop. He knew. How did he figure it out? Did someone else know? Had he been stalking her? The girl thought of a man watching her, following her every move. She felt the room get several degrees warmer. The man continued to speak, “For every hour Ladybug does not come and show herself, I will kill one civilian. So, if she truly cares about you, she’ll reveal her identity.”

Marinette felt herself sweating, she brought the phone up to her mouth, “I’m at the bakery. Please help.” She ended the call and stuffed the phone into her pocket. What was she going to do? She can’t become Ladybug with this many people watching, but she can’t let random citizens die. The lives of the innocent were in her hands. The superhero looked up towards the ceiling to see where the bullet he shot ended up. Gulping, she sent a silent prayer. Please come, Chat Noir.

* * *

 

Adrien didn’t recognize the number on his screen. That startled him. His phone number was not given out lightly, so the fact that someone he didn’t know was calling him was more than a little nerve frightening.

“Aren’t you going to answer?” Plagg asked. He was sitting on Adrien’s head, finding his hair very comfortable to lie in. Reluctantly, the boy tapped on the green button and held the device to his ear. “Hello?” the model asked meekly, “Who is this?” The voices on the other end sounded muffled and distant until he heard someone shouting.

 _“LISTEN UP, PEOPLE!”_ the voice was gruff and scary, causing Adrien to jump when he heard it. _“I know that Ladybug is in that building.”_ Adrien’s heart dropped. Ladybug? Where was she? The voice continued, _“For every hour Ladybug does not come and show herself, I will kill one civilian. So, if she truly cares about you, she’ll reveal her identity.”_ The superhero could've sworn the world stopped. All of the sudden everything was put on pause as he played the words over again in his mind. _I will kill one civilian._ As long as Adrian’s been Chat Noir, no one has ever died. He never even considered death a possibility, much less a risk. All he did was stop Hawkmoth and his akumas with Ladybug. No one ever really got hurt, or if they did, he never heard about them. But this was _real._ Someone, somewhere, was threatening people to get a hold of Ladybug. This man had threatened people’s lives because of them; because of _Ladybug._

Suddenly, another voice was on the phone. This one was much louder and more feminine. Her voice was soft and light, but full of fear. “I’m at the bakery. Please help.” Adrien felt the shred of sensibility he had left disappear when a terrible realization fell upon him. He knew the owner of that voice.

“Marinette?” Adrien asked, clutching the phone near his face, “Are you okay? What’s going on?” When he had no answer, he pulled the device from his ear to see his home screen. She had hung up. He was already panicking, but after hearing his friend’s voice, Adrian felt like his heart was pounding out of his chest. This man was at Marinette’s bakery. Marinette was there. His classmate, his friend, one of the only people that treated him like a person, was trapped in a building with a man threatening to kill civilians. Just picturing the girl, lying on the ground with tears in her eyes as a criminal points a gun to her face, shattered a part of Adrien. He was not going to sit around and wait until the inevitable.

The superhero bolted upright, knocking the kwami off his head. Staring at his hand, he glossed a finger over his ring. The image of Marinette scared his brain, anger and fear clawing at his heart. “Plagg!” he called to his cat, “Claws out!” With a flash of green and black, Chat Noir emerged. His normal smirk was replaced with a offputting scowl. “No one hurts my Princess,” he threatened grimly. With one last glance at his bedroom, Chat lept out the window.

He scurried across the rooftops, franticly, not caring if anyone saw him. All that mattered was that he got to the scene as fast as possible. All that mattered with Marinette. The trip itself seemed to take forever, each building longer than the next. But eventually, he ended up across the street from the bakery. There were already police cars outside and barricades blocking the masses of people. He saw Alya there, (of course) her phone at the ready. She seemed to be scolding a police officer, shaking her finger in a disrespectful manner. Chat smiled weakly, thinking about what Alya might be saying to the officer.

The feeling quickly passed though, as he saw the door of the restaurant open. Silence fell on the block as a man came out of the building. He was tall and slender, not at all what Chat imagined him to look like when he heard his voice. The only way he knew it was the man over the phone was the pistol he brought him. The man didn’t come alone though. Along with the gun, a girl came out as well. She was half the villain's height, with dark hair pulled back in two pigtails while her work outfit was covered in flour and frosting. Chat held his breathe as he saw the girl’s face. It was Marinette.

The convict had one hand wrapped around a small gun (probably a pistol) and pointed at her head. The other was gripping the collar of her shirt, pulling the young woman with him. Chat had to bit down on his lip to keep himself from screaming. There she was, just a few feet away. But with gun by her head, she felt so much farther. It was a bit before the man spoke, his voice still rough and dry. “There are twenty-seven civilians in the cafe, not including this one,“ he gestured at Marinette with gun, causing her to whimper. “Ladybug, this ‘hero’ you all worship, hasn’t even come to rescue them. Apparently, keeping her identity under wraps is more important than the lives of others.” Chat dug his claws deeper into the building with each insult he threw at her.

“What do you have against Ladybug anyway?” a voice asked. All heads turned to Alya. She didn’t have her phone out, or any recording device for that matter. Chat half expected her to be documenting the event for her Ladyblog. But if you looked at the teen’s face, you could tell she was just as terrified as he was.

A chuckle escaped the man mouth. There was a glint of amusement in his eyes. “She has corrupted the city of Paris.” Before anyone could disagree, the criminal shoved Marinette to the ground. She crumpled as his feet, “WHERE IS SHE NOW?” he taunted, nuzzling into the girl’s temple. Tears were streaming down her face, breaking Chat’s already fractured heart. “I will give Ladybug thirty seconds to come out before I shoot!”

As the crowd started to panic, Chat knew he needed to act fast. There was no time for a perfect plan, he needed to move. He needed to act. Throwing caution to the wind, Chat lept off the roof, landing in a crouched position. He began slowly walking towards the two, twirling his baton in his hand. “Well, well,” he began, getting people’s attention, “It seems you’ve started a cat-fight.”

The man frowned at the superhero, not viciously, or even angrily. He seemed almost… _disappointed,_ by Chat Noir’s surprise appearance. “What do you want? Where’s Ladybug?” His grip tightened around the handle, setting Chat on edge. The hero tried to play it cool, but inside he was petrified. “Well, what I really want is for you to lower your gun and come with me peacefully, but I have a _feline_ this isn’t going to go that smoothly.” Chat could've sworn he heard Marinette groan when he said the pun, but he diminished the idea almost immediately afterwards.

“I didn’t ask for you. You aren’t important,” The words stung, causing Chat to grit his teeth. “I need Ladybug!” This guy isn’t akumatized, the cat thought with wonder. What did Ladybug do to piss him off? He look down at Marinette, who was staring at him. Fear still devoured her, and her eyes seemed to plead for help. Chat tried to silently respond, but he found it too difficult to look at her in such a broken state. He looked back at the man instead, his pistol still aimed at Marinette’s skull. “If you don’t tell me where Ladybug is, I will shoot.” His voice never wavered, but the boy noticed his hand was shaking. “Five,” he began to count.

“Look, you don’t have to do this.” Chat felt his mask of tranquility vanish.

“Four.” “I don’t want to hurt you.” Oh gosh, what a lie. He wanted to break every bone in his body and watch him suffer.

“Three.” The two never broke eye contact, sharing looks of hatred to each other.

“Two.” The hero began to plead, “She’s just a girl.” Chat was losing all rationality he had left.

“One.” “STOP!” The girl’s voice seemed to shake the entire street. Both men’s eyes fell on her, but Marinette’s were locked on the ground. “It’s me,” she whispered, so only the man and Chat could hear. “I… I am Ladybug.”

Chat felt his world explode. He didn't seem to have any control over his body as he raised his baton and whacked the man in the head. The thug fell to the ground, the superhero following close behind. He bent to the concrete and held the baton to the culprit’s neck. “I swear, if you tell one person her identity I’ll-”

“Oh, no,” the man laughed, “I don’t plan on telling anyone. That wasn’t the point.” He looked at Chat, his gray eyes tormenting the boy’s soul, “I just needed to tear her apart, the way I was.” Before Chat could do anything to stop it, the felon raised the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger. Blood sprayed across the street, staying Chat’s skin and hair. He didn’t want to look at the dead body, but he couldn’t look away either. It was only until he heard the familiar voice behind him that he could turn around.

“Chat…” He stood up and turned his head to the girl. Her face and clothes had brown splotches of dirt on them. Her broken eyes were red from the continuous tears that left her face, no matter how hard she tried to contain them. “I-I’m so…”

She stopped as Chat ran to her. He wrapped his arms around the girl as she wept from fear and anger and confusion. All the emotions she had were pouring out of her as he embraced the fractured girl. He held her in his arms, and whispered in her ear, “It’s okay, My Lady. I’m right here.” They dissolved into each other, forgetting the world around them. Ignoring the awful thing they just saw and living in each others company. All Chat needed right now was Marinette to be alive, and Marinette needed was Chat was Chat to be _there._  She needed his presence, his warmth and strength, to feed on his power. She melted into his leather, calming her serve and leveling her breathing as he continued to whisper. 

The police unlocked the bakery door and Mr. Dupain came sprinting out of it. The father broke apart the couple and crushed his daughter in his arms. He too had been crying and kept repeating, “Thank God you’re okay. Thank God you’re okay.” Chat slowly backed away, watching the family sob in eachothers arms. It was only after he saw the battered body be taken away that Chat headed back to his deary home.

Later that night, he lied on his bed softly and murmured as he drifted to sleep, “Marinette is Ladybug. Marinette is Ladybug.” And even though he was haunted by the terrors he had witnessed that day at the bakery, the death he saw and fear he felt, Adrien had had the best sleep in a long time, knowing that tomorrow he could see the love of his life again tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while. I rewrote it at leats a hundred times until I was satisfied with the ending. I've read every comment and appreciate all your constructive criticism. Thank you were all your help!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Marinette didn’t leave her house the next day. She didn’t dare go downstairs. Heck, she didn’t even leave her room. The thought of leaving the security of her bed made her stomach churn. What if someone else knows where she is? What if someone else returns to the bakery? What if they have another gun? What if there’s more blood...

There were too many possibilities; too many chance. No, it’s much safer if she stayed in her room, where no one could harm her. Her doors were locked and she had her blanket completely submerged in her blankets. Mari tried to come up with logical for her behavior. She was really cold. The doors were bringing in a draft. The bakery was too loud. But they were all just excusing to cover up the truth.

She was afraid.

Afraid of someone else trying to hurt her. Afraid of Ladybug being the cause of someone getting hurt. Afraid of talking to anyone. Afraid of the outdoors. Afraid of strangers. She just wanted to stay inside and be left in solitude.

She thought Tikki would try to get her to leave. The kwami would tell her it’s unhealthy to stay locked up in her room or try to convince Marinette she’s got to move past this. But for the most part Tikki was quiet. She asked how Marinette was, wondered if she needed anything. But after a while she disappeared, going who knows where. Marinette was completely alone.

Which was fine by her. She loved the silence. It calmed her. She didn’t need to talk to anyone. She didn’t need to explain to them anything. She could be left to her thoughts in the empty void she was thriving in. It was great.

Well, not great. But it was... nice.

She mainly spent the day watching news reports. Nadja Chamack was sitting in station, reading reports in her monotone voice, _“... was identified as Hugo Bernard. Shockingly, Bernard has no criminal record previous to the shooting. He was a bookshop owner and seemed to have reside in southern Paris with his wife, Elaine Bernard, and, until recently their only child, Selina Bernard. There is speculation tha-”_

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Marinette yelped at the sudden noise, falling off her chair. She saw the images flash before her eyes again. The bakery, the gun, the man, the blood. Holding her hands up in surrender, she girl felt her heart pounding out of chest, each beat harder than the last. Her thoughts continued to race. _Someone found me and they’re going to hurt me and they have a gun and I’m going to die and-_

“Marinette?”

Everything stopped. She knew that voice.

The teen raised her head slowly, making eye contact with the figure. All her tension seemed to drain from her as she realized Chat lying on her bed. _Idiot,_ she scolded herself, _Remember to lock the balcony door._

The superhero bent down and helped Marinette to her feet. “I’m so sorry,” his voice was gentle and quiet, much different than her usual cat. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine,” she spoke harshly, the words bitter on her tongue. She didn’t want to engage in a conversation.

The cat shook his head, “No, it’s not fine.” He brushed a hair out of her face. The black fabric brushed against her skin, causing her to tense up. She flinched, uncomfortable with any form of physical contact.

She pushed his hand away, “No, I’m fine. It’s all fine.” The girl proceeded to lie while backing away from the unsuspecting visitor, “I’m okay and it’s fine and I really don’t need you to be here.”

He frowned, “You know you can talk to me, I’m your partner.”

The girl froze at the word: _partner._ It was just another reminder of the daunting fact. He _knew._

Chat knew she was Ladybug. He knew Ladybug and Marinette were the same person. The one boundary that kept Chat Noir and her separate was torn down. She felt so vulnerable, like he could see every little part of her. Pick and prod at every piece of emotion and personality she had. No secrets. Everything on the table.

The whole idea was relieving and terrifying all at the same time.

“Fine,” she broke eye contact, frustrated at how intently he was staring at her. “What do you want to talk about?”

Chat scoffed, clearly annoyed. “Oh I don’t know? The fact that you were held at gunpoint yesterday. The fact that you almost _died_ and you’re pretending like nothing happened. The fact that you’re Ladybug!”

Marinette crossed her arms, “Those topics aren't important.”

“Aren’t important?” Chat was becoming agitated. “I find both of those topics extremely importantly. Important enough that I came to your house, during the day, as _Chat Noir!”_

“Okay, fine,” she was raising her voice now. “I’m Ladybug! The Savior of France is a clumsy fifteen year old who can’t in speak full sentences most of the time! And yes, a man held a gun to me! And yes, I almost died! But I don't want to talk about it!”

“WELL I DO!” Chat was engulfed with rage. Anger was burning in his eyes, and her face seemed stiff. He was walking closer to Marinette pinning her against her own bedroom wall. His hands were planted on either side of her face, forcing her to stare back his crazy emerald eyes. “I want to talk about it, because this doesn’t just affect you! We’re a team. We are there for each other. We help each other. I want to help you and…” the teens voice broke, “and I need you to help me.”

Marinette saw tears slowly fall from his face while he continued to shake. “Chat..” she began, but he continued talking.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” his voice was much softer, only a whisper. “You’re all I have, Ladybug.”

The teen could feel herself begin to crying. The wet tears running down her face. She didn't know what to do, how to respond. All day she had wanted nothing but to be alone. Still, with him so close...

She was about to open her mouth, to say something, when she was interrupted by Chat pressing his lips in hers.

The kiss took Marinette by surprise, but she did nothing to stop it. She felt a buzzing sensation. The longing to be alone she had originally craved had vanished, and all she could think about was Chat Noir. He continued to push her against a wall and for that moment her worries dissolved as she melted into the superhero.

Though, sadly, just as quickly as it started, the exotic flame between them was extinguished with one sound: the ringing of Chat’s bell.

 

\--

 

Alya frowned at her screen. Things weren’t adding up. With her hair pulled back in a messy bun and a pencil clenched between her teeth, she was searching furiously on her laptop for an explanation.

She grumbled as a site loaded. Why couldn’t they have faster internet? “Come on,” her patience was growing thin while she scrolled down the web page. A photo of Seine River was on pasture alongside a paragraph explaining the minerals and aquatic lifeforms. Her eyes moved quickly down the page as she found what she was looking for.

“Gotcha!” she shouted before bolting upright and zooming over to her desk. She was about to add another note to her project when she heard her mother’s voice from downstairs.

“Alya! Someone is here to see you!” The teen stopped, turning her head towards the direction for her mother’s voice. She wasn’t expecting anyone. She looked at her watch. 11:30 AM. Nino would still be asleep. Adrien was probably at a photoshoot or meeting. And Mari…

“Send them up!” she responded, slightly nervous. Maybe it was Juleka or Rose? But why would they want to see her? Max and Kim didn’t hang out with her, and Mylene and Ivan mainly kept to themselves. Who could it be?

She was so engrossed with thought, she barely heard the knock at the door, followed by a soft voice, “Hello?”

“Come in,” she answered quickly. Alya took in a deep breath as the door opened a small man entered her room. She had never seen him before. He was quite old, in his late seventies at least, and had greying hair that framed his head. The man also had a slim mustache and goatee that surrounded his mouth. He wore a red Hawaiian shirt, tan caris, and dark brown shoes. He had only a green bracelet and his cane for accessory. Deep circles were beneath his thin eyes, which matched his sad expression.

“Are you Alya Césaire?”

The girl nodded slowly at the sound of her name, “Yes. Who are you?”

The man dipped his head, “I am known by many names, but most call me Master Fu.”

“Uh, huh,” Alya nodded again, confusion weighing her down. Why was this man in her room? How did he know her name?

There was an awkward pause before either of them spoke again. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here.” A laughed bursted from her lips before she could stop it, “Um, yeah? Maybe just a little bit.”

Master Fu frowned, “Ms. Césaire, I’ll have you know I’m here on a very serious matter.”

“And what is that?” she asked, taunting the elderly. Alya hated the tone she was using. It reminded her of Chole. But she didn’t care enough to stop. She was so close to figuring it out, and this interruption wasn’t helping anything.

“Well, I was hoping you could help me with a problem I have,” he voice was groggy, from years of use or lack of sleep Alya couldn’t tell. Maybe both?

“You see, I work with a… group, let’s say, of gifted teenagers. I don’t usually interact with them, but it seems drastic times call for drastic measures," he attempted a laugh, but only an comfortable chuckle could be heard.

"The issue is that one of them is missing.”

The teen frowned, “What do you want me to do, find them? Because I don’t know how to track people.”

“Oh, goodness no,” he smiled. “I want you to keep them hidden.”

Alya felt dazed, _“Keep them hidden?”_

“There are vast amounts of people searching for my missing prodige. It seems the whole world is wondering where she went.” The man raised an eyebrow, “Even you.”

“But I’m not…” she found her eyes moving to her board. Photos and news clipping were scattered about her desk as one heading was centered in a chaos of red string and Post-It notes.

**WHERE IS LADYBUG?**

She felt the world crash on her, “You don’t mean...”

“Alya Césaire,” the man circled his cane and pointed the end of it a inch away from her nose, “You are the number one resource on anything Ladybug related. I need your help to keep the public away from her.” T

he teen shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why can’t people know where she is? Where is she?”

Fu shook his head, “I’m afraid I can not tell you that information. She’s under a great deal of stress, and needs to clear her head before getting out into the field again. That last thing Ladybug needs is the world at her doorstep.”

Perturbation seemed to be suffocating her, “How am I supposed to draw the public away from Ladybug?”

The Master continued to smile, “By giving them something else to look at.” He reached into his pocket and held out a small box. He placed it into Alya's hands.

“I believe in you, as a reporter and a friend,” he encouraged. “You can help Ladybug save the world.”

 

\--

 

Chat had been waiting for this moment since the day he met the girl in red.

Her lips were soft, but powerful. She had been silent, refusing to express her feelings, but he felt her bundle of emotions translated into the kiss. Everything she had been too timid to share was exploding between them. He finally felt like he was getting somewhere. Not just with the situation, but with _her._ He knew her, could see her, and fully love her and her layers that aren't normally available to him. He wanted to stay this way forever. With just the two of them in there little world.

All problems flew out the window as they became one. He couldn’t feel anything else but her hands in his hair and her lips against his. He pushed her against her wall harder, demanding more of this feeling, this power he could feel. He wanted to know her, feel her in every way. He wanted to forget yesterday, and all the days before that. Because right then, that moment, felt like the only important moment in his entire life.

And then the spell broke. Before he could understand why, she pulled herself away from him and shoved him to the ground. Being caught off guard, he fell hard onto the girl’s wooden floor.

He shook his head and he looked up back at the girl, but she was somewhere else. Marinette was staring at nothing, her body shaking as tears streamed down her face. He didn’t know what to do.

Chat just sat there, dazed, as she slowly whisper a over and over again, “The bell… the stupid, stupid bell.” He looked down at his bell, the object jingling on his neck. He ripped it off, a without second thought, and tossed to the side.

“It’s okay Marinette,” he wrapped around her fragile body, causing her to flinch. “The bell is gone, the man is gone. You’re safe.”

She nodded, but continued to sob in his arms. The sound was heart wrenching, as everything poured out of her, but he continued to hold firm. He couldn’t break, not in front of her. She needed someone to lean on, and right he was that person, the person. He had to be, for his lady.

“I can’t do this,” she breathed.

“Do what?” Marinette pulled away and gestured between them, “This. I can’t do this. Not right now I’m just…” she lifted her eyes to his level, her blue irises surrounded by her glossy tears, “I’m not ready, not yet. I’m sorry.”

The superhero frowned, “I don’t understand...”

“I can’t kiss you!” the words came out louder than planned, and she bit her lip in protest. “I can’t… _love_ you, Chat. Not till I figure out how to be... me again.”

“Mari…” The words stung, but he shoved them down, ignoring the pain. “I want to help you, in anyway I can. What do you need me to do?”

The girl’s voice was weak, “I don’t know.”

“Okay, then we’ll figure it out together. One step at a time.” He held out his hand, “Partners?”

“Partners,” she nodded, interlacing her fingers into his.

There was silence for a moment, Marinette with her head on his shoulder and Chat staring at the broken girl. The confident Ladybug had been stripped of her courage and left beaten. The image sickened him, and he wrapped his arms tighter around Mari. "I won't let anything get to you."

Their quiet moment was interrupted by an booming noise in the distance.

Chat turned his head towards the noise, his hyper sensitive ear picking up every scream. "There's an akuma," he stated, his eyes still on the city. "Do you think you're up to it?"

When he finally looked back at Mari, he eyes were full of terror. Her breaths were short and stiff. Her head was shaking at rapid pace. She didn't need to say anything, he understood she wasn't ready. 

"You stay here," Chat said, knowing she would do it anyway, and scurried up her stairs to her balcony. With one last glance at his lady, and leapt off the building to protect the city he loved.

He dashed down the rooftops until he found the location where he thought he'd find a akumatized person terrorizing the city. Instead, he found a girl about his age dressed in a fox costume that looked extremely familiar. She had brown hair that slowly faded into an auburn framing her face. Her intense eyes were hidden behind her glasses. She was leaning on a large flute that was tinted orange.

"I'm glad I've gotten your attention," her voice was laced with sass and attitude. "We need to talk."       

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I love Alya so much!  
> For all of those who are wondering about the shooter, we'll get to that in a later chapter.
> 
> Thank you again for reading! Sorry if there were any spelling mistakes. Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya is freaked out, Chat feels threatened, and Marinette can't sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sooooooooooooo sorry.  
> I can give countless reasons why this took a year. Anxiety. School. My life being insane. Fear of not giving these characters justice.  
> But what scared me the most was never continuing with this story.  
> So here's chapter 3. I may be great, but it's done, just for all of you. 
> 
> Thank you so much for everyone whose read my works.

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

Alya hadn’t thought this through.

Not that there was much to think about. A mysterious man waltzes into her house, gives her an ominous looking box, then vanished abruptly. What was she going to do, let it collect dust?

No. She wouldn’t. She _couldn’t._ The curiosity was eating her alive. This could be everything she’d ever wanted in her life. Adventure, magic, purpose. Alya could finally feel like she was more than the little reporter. The girl could finally do something meaningful.

She needed to know what was in that box.

She slowly lifted the cover.

She made a huge mistake.

First, a blinding orange beam was unleashed, causing her to drop the box. Alya lifted her hands to shield her eyes from the bright light. As it dimmed, she regained her sight, but was confused by what she saw. A little orange blob was floating inches from her face. Before she could fully examine the thing, it began swirling about the reporter, pulling at her hair and tugging at her clothes while it babbled useless comment.

_“Wow I love your hair it’s so colorful and orange I love orange hey your shirt is orange too now that can’t be a coincidence Fu can be very funny like that but your frames are so lame we’ll have to fix that immediately and your shoes are also super gross we’ll go shopping later and maybe then we can figure out-”_

“STOP!” Alya held up her hand, silencing the orange shape.

The blurb of orange froze, floating in the air. The teen squinted her eyes, fully taking in the creature. The thing resembled a fox, with a large bushy tail and intense purple eyes. It was also small, no bigger than a baseball, but the majority of her body was made up of her head. Her smile was mischievous and the expression matched her eyes.

Alya frowned, “What are you?”

She groaned, sounding frustrated. “I hate orientation. It’s so boring,” she sighed. Her voice seemed much lower now that she spoke at a normal rate. “Hun, I’m going to be throwing a lot of new information at you, so I need you to keep up with me.” Alya stared dumbfounded, but managed a slow nod.

“My name Trixx. I am a kwami,” she gestured to herself as she spoke. Each syllable was slowed down as if Alya was a toddler. “It’s like a god, but not really. I’m immortal and can give powers. I can combine with the fox miraculous, located in your box,” she pointed to the wooden object on the floor, “and transform the holder, that would be you,” she pointed to Alya, “into a superhero. My powers give the holder the ability of illusions, which you will use to fight Hawkmoth. Any questions?”

_Any questions?_

Alya’s head was spinning. She thought she understood the basics of how a miraculous worked: miraculous jewelry holds power, can run out of time, changes back to normal self. But this was insane. Magic?! Everything that helped Chat Noir and Ladybug was in these… gods?

She really needed to edit her theory on the Ladyblog.

It was the kwamis voice that brought her back to reality. “Look, right now we’re kinda on a short schedule so I need you to put this on.”

Alya turned. Trixx was holding a necklace out to her. There was a single charm, an odd shape that resembled a swirl. It was orange and white, with a glossy covering. The teen grabbed the chain and unclasped it, raising an eyebrow at the unnatural being in front of her. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes, this is what you’ve always wanted right? To be a superhero?”

The teen looked at the necklace, fully taking in the possibilities. She could become a superhero. Become one of them. A member of the team, joining alongside her idol. The one person she looked up to most, the person she strived to be. She would join Ladybug, become one of the greats. It was what she always wanted, but did she deserve it?

Thinking back, most of the things she did were pretty rash: running into the middle of a battle for a blog entry, asking Ladybug questions when she obviously needed to leave, getting kidnapped by The Pharaoh. Heck, she’s even been akumatized! She wasn’t hero material.

And what even was hero material? Ladybug left Marinette. Left her to die at the hands of psychopath and then left Paris without any reason or explanation. What kind of person did that, what kind of hero? What if she became like that?

Trixx frowned, “What are you waiting for? Put it on!”

“I don’t think…” she paused, giving the jewelry one last glance. “I don’t think I’m the right person for this.”

Alya wasn’t really expecting the kwami to do anything. Maybe try to make her feel better, or pack up her magic stuff and find someone else. What she never imagined her to do as let a out a loud groan.

“Are you kidding me? Why does everyone have such low self esteem?” She zoomed up to Alya’s face, stopping only an inch away. “Look, Hun, if you weren’t the right person, I wouldn’t be here. The Guardian is always right, that’s what makes him the guardian. So quit brooding and put on the necklace.”

Appalled, Alya placed on hand on her hip, “Don’t you think you could be a little bit supportive?”

The fox rolled her eyes, “We really don’t have time for all these nerves. We have to find Chat Noir. So put that necklace around your pretty neck so we can get this over with.”

And that’s how Alya ended up stuck on top of a building in a skintight fox costume, standing in front of one of her idols looking like a previous akuma victim.

_Shit._

Now she thought Chat Noir would be surprised, but he wore a different expression. The superhero was more confused than anything, and even a bit annoyed, like he had something better to do. But his face was worn down, and he must’ve been exhausted. She guessed worrying about the disappearance of his partner. And his eyes, the piercing green surrounded by a subtle red. Had he been crying?

“Who are you?” There was no trace of humor in his voice. No teasing, no puns. His normally flamboyant persona was replaced with a stern tone.

“I’m Volpina,” she started, then stopped. “Well, not Volpina, but the holder of the fox miraculous.”

Man, she’d had have to think of a new alias.

The next moments were filled with an eerie silence. Chat didn’t speak. He looked her up and down, examining her. Then he just stared. The intensity of his emerald eyes looking straight through her, scanning each and every thought. His expression wasn’t readable though. He looked cold, but not surprised. “What do you want?”

The question took her off guard. She didn’t really know what she was expecting he to say. A thank you? Maybe some congratulations? But not something so… raw.

Alya tried a smile, “I was sent to help you.”

Chat frowned. His eyes didn’t waver, but his shoulders relaxed and Alya could tell he was relieved. The superhero began walking away. He turned away from her, and the girl thought he was leaving. But he stopped at the edge of the building. Chat lowered his body to the ground, and sat on the ledge. Alya could hear him breathe. “I didn’t ask for help.”

Alya leaned on her flute, “It kinda looks like you could use it.” She stared at the boy, remembering that’s just what he was: a boy. A boy not much older than her with the entire city of Paris on his shoulders. A boy whose partner is missing. A boy with way too much responsibility.

“We’re fine,” he spoke, his voice softer than he had been. His head continued looking out st the building tops in his city. “You can go.”

The girl walked over to Chat, sitting next to him on the edge of the building. “When I was little, my mom would say the secret to life is finding out what you need and asking for it.” Chat turned his head to her, and she smiled, “Asking for help isn’t a weakness, you know.”

“I already have help,” Chat said. “Well, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but Ladybug seems to be out of commission,” Alya pointed out.

He glared at her, _“I’ve noticed.”_ His voice was sharp, cutting through Alya like a knife.

They both looked out at the city. It seemed so big atop the building. The people continued their lives below. Crossing streets, entering and exiting doors, talking to each other. Some seemed to be on their way to work, while others were going home. Everything was continuously flowing throughout the entire city with this bustling energy. They all just seemed so alive. Moving and going and never stopping in their day.

That was it.

The world never stopped.

Everyone just kept going no matter what was happening. People kept talking and walking and existing in this world. Everything kept going.

And if Alya didn’t, then she was going to be left behind.

Alya breathed, “Marinette is my best friend.” Chat’s head snapped towards her, his green eyes searching the girls face for more answers. Her eyes continued to look at the city, a faint smile crept on her lips. “We met two years ago. Some girl was being a bitch and ruined all these macarons she made, but she shared the last one with me. That was also the day Ladybug arrived.” A laughed escaped her body, the first in what seemed like forever, “Funny how those things happen.

“I became obsessed with Ladybug. And she became obsessed with a boy, so we’d talk to each other for hours about these people we loved but they’d never know. I’d tell her about my next blog update, she’s tell me about his next fencing competition.”

She could feel her eyes becoming misty and her body shaking. “You just… you don’t know the girl you saved, but she’s smart and funny and talented and amazing and just _everything._ I love her so much.” Her hand began gripping the side of the building, “Just please tell me why Ladybug didn’t do _anything.”_

The cars racing down in the streets and the murmuring of people below were all audible in the silence engulfing them. Alya wrapped her arms around herself, willing her body to quit shaking.

“Ladybug couldn’t do anything.” Chat spoke softly. His voice had become dry and Alya could hear it start to quiver. “She really wanted to, trust me. She just couldn’t.”

Alya’s eyes bursted open, targeting the superhero. The girl’s eyes became wild and she bolted to her feet as she exploded with anger.

“My best friend almost _died,”_ she spat. “A man was holding a fucking gun to her head. Give me one damn reason why Ladybug couldn't do anything.”

“She couldn’t.”

“Why?”

“You can’t understand what was happening.”

“Why didn’t she help her?”

“Alya please-”

“WHY DIDN’T SHE SAVE HER!”

“BECAUSE MARINETTE IS LADYBUG!”

A hush fell between them.

Another car passed.

Another couple spoke.

Another person’s shift ended.

Another one’s began.

The world kept going, but Chat and Alya were frozen on the roof.

Chat stood, his face filled with terror and relief. Alya saw his eyes glossing over with a pail pink stain. She was sure her own eyes matched, and ran her finger under her eyelid to catch any leaks.

The girl sucked in a shaky breathe, but it was uneven and raspy, and ended up sounding more like a chortling noise. Her voice was soft and low, “She’s Ladybug?”

Chat nodded. Alya cursed. She gripped her flute, attempting to snap it in half, but the metal wouldn’t bend. She gritted her teeth, and flung the flute across the building. It soared for a only a moment before it clattering onto the roof.

Alya sunk into her knees, “Dammit.” She could feel her body start to shaking again. Tears caused her vision to blur and her head started to pound. The world seemed to be crushing around her, collapsing in on itself.

Suddenly she felt an arm wrap around her. Alya thought Chat was attempting to comfort her, but when she turned to see him, streaks of tears were streaming down his face. His looked frail and helpless.

He looked like a boy.

* * *

 

Marinette had discovered a new development in the adventures of being emotionally traumatized.

She couldn't sleep.

The girl would lie awake for hours, purely exhausted. Her body was tired and her eyes were week. Her head was aching, and the girl wanted nothing more than to just disappear. But whenever she closed her eyes, he was there. Even behind her eyelids, that man haunted every part of her life.

“Marinette, you need to sleep,” Tikki’s voice was sweet and soft. They were both lying in bed, browsing wondrous websites of the internet. Tiki had become more docile after the event. She was quiet and meek, talking around the issue and spending lots of time alone.

But she was currently resting on Marinette’s shoulder, watching the teen’s fingers scroll past thousands of fabrics on Pinterest. The teen didn’t respond, but rubbed the kwamis head with her thumb. Aimlessly pinning designs and ideas was beginning to loose entertainment. But she didn’t stop, too afraid of being left with her thoughts. Her fingers only hesitated with the sound of her window opening.

She felt her pulse stop. Her lungs seemed to be unable to contain air. “It’s just me.”

Marinette exhaled, and only them did she realize she was gripping her blanket. Her fingers released the comforter, “Over here.”

Her eyes stayed glued onto the computer, but she felt the bed shift from Chat’s weight. Marinette gasped when his arms wrapped around her waist, but she did nothing to oppose him.

“Leave the room today?”

She shook her head.

“Eat anything?”

“A banana.”

“Oooo. Potassium.”

The girl snorted, for a second feeling normal. But it didn’t last long.

She heard him sigh and the mattress moving as he laid down. It was quiet, and she could sense his mind working to find something to say.

It scared her. He never thought before he spoke.

“What happened?”

There was a pause- no, a hesitation- before Chat spoke. It took her a second before she realized, he wasn’t sure of he wanted to tell her. Marinette sucked in a shaky breath as she waited.

The words suddenly erupted from his mouth, “We were sent help.”

The girl froze. Her fingers stop scrolling. She felt her pulse skip a beat, then work double time as if to make up for the mistake. “Help?”

“Yeah, well,” his voice trailed off, his brain working faster than his mouth. “It’s Alya.”

Her eyes broke from the screen to look at Chat, but was distracted for a moment. He looked scared, of what she couldn’t quite tell. And tired, so very tired. His eyes seemed red, like he’d been crying.

But regained her train of thought as fast as it had derailed. “Alya?” her voice quivered.

He gave a weak smile, “She has Volpina’s miraculous.”

Marinette was stunned. Alya. Her best friend. Bold and energetic. Brave and outspoken. Kind and thoughtful.

Volpina.

_A superhero._

She’d be perfect.

“I can’t do that to her.”

Chat’s eyes widened, “What?”

“This job...” she looked down at her hands. They were shaking uncontrollably. “I can’t put this on anyone. If Alya or Nino or Adrien had to deal with this…” her eyes returned to Chat. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself.”

Chat eyes soften, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled the girl into his chest. “You don’t have to take on the world by yourself,” his lips were inches from her ear, hot air running down her neck. “I’m here for you.”

Marinette looked up at her ceiling, willing the tears in her eyes to stay put. She breathed, “I’m so tired.” The boy chuckled, “That’ll happen when you don’t sleep.” He peeled away to look at her, “You want me to stay?”

She nodded, and Chat smiled. The two laid down, and Chat began softly humming. It was a low voice, almost like a purr. It was sweet and pure, and she curled against his warm body.

The girl watched his chest raise and fall with each and every breathe, and she wondered how she ever ended up like this. Broken, cold, fragile, empty.

She felt her self slowly drift asleep, but the only man in her mind with the one right next to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you.
> 
> Thank you all for giving me the reason to write.
> 
> If you like this go read my other Miraculous work I'm trying based on my all time favourite movie ever!!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> But really, thank you.
> 
> -Izzy


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madame Bernard is sick of police officers, Nino feels excluded, and Adrien is confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was super fun to write.
> 
> I feel like I should mention that I wrote Trixx as a girl a year ago, and though I could change it now that we know Trixx is male, I like my Trixx a lot and I'm going to keep her that way.
> 
> Also I've just figured out where I want to go with this story and I'm very excited to share it with you.
> 
> ENJOY CHAPTER 4!

“Is this the residence of Elaine Bernard?”

The woman blinked, surprised to see a man at her doorstep. He wore a blue officer uniform and a grim face she assumed was permanently etched into his skin. The man looked the same as every other squad member that had visited her house that week, but there was something about him. He felt cold and rigid, maybe even dangerous.

“Yes, I am she,” she answered. _I am she. What a weird sentence._

“My name is Officer Joseph Martin. I’m from the PPD. May I come in?” the man asked. “I’d like to ask you some questions about your late husband.”

Oh.

_That._

She sighed exasperatedly. There had already been several police officers at her house the past few days, with similar questions and theories of her husband. She was getting tired of repeating the same information repeatedly, and really wanted to be left alone for just one night. 

But instead, Elaine gestured into her home, “If you must.”

Martin nodded, and proceed to return the cap he had pressed on his chest onto his head as he entered.

Elaine Bernard was getting sick of this. Her husband was lunatic since the day she had met him, but that was part of his charm. It was only a year ago he started going completely mad. She tried to get him help: counseling, medication, hypnosis. But all the medical professional and therapists said just said he was grieving.

Seemed it took his death for everyone else to notice his insanity.

She let out a small groan while following the man. Martin sat on her couch while she gave the nicest smiled she could muster, “Water?”

“No, thank you,” the man said while removing a small notepad from his pocket. “I was hoping to begin this as quickly as possible.”

_A notepad,_ Elaine thought. _How cliché._

“Of course, officer,” she mused while finding a spot in her living room. “What would you like to know?”

Officer Martin cleared his thought, another very cliche thing to do, before he began, “Your husband was found dead at a bakery three days ago after he-”

“Sir, I am not an idiot. I know what he did and how he died can we please skip to the questions?”

The man looked up from his notepad, refusing to break eye contact as he slowly flipped the over page, “Fine. Did your husband ever do anything out of the ordinary?”

Elaine laughed, surprised by the odd question, “What didn’t he do that was out of the ordinary?”  _This man has no idea what he's doing,_ she thought.

“So he did criminal things often?”

“No, no,” the women shook her head. “Not criminal. _Out of the ordinary._ He really was an odd one. Aluminum foil hats, illuminati claims. You name it, he’s done it.”

The man raised his eyebrow, “So he was a madman?”

She flashed a smile, remembering the man she loved, “Pretty much.”

“Bernard seems to have no other relatives than you. With no siblings and deceased parents. And with your daughter gone, you happen to be the last of his living family.”

The women stared at the notepad, watching his hand move with each stroke of his pen. “You seem to be right.”

“Now about your daughter.”

A beat.

She knew the question was coming, it always did. But it didn’t make things any easier.

Elaine swallowed, “Yes?”

“She passed almost away a year ago... April 7th?”

“I know the day my child died if that’s what you’re asking.”

Officer Martin grumbled, clearly annoyed, “Yes, well that was also the day an akuma attacked a city park.”

Elaine nodded slowly, but didn’t respond.

“The akuma was called Herba,” he continued. “She was reported to have trapped people in plant based cages and sprayed a mixture of different pollens at its victims.”

Mrs. Bernard shifted uncomfortably. No other officers got this in depth with the case file. “Yes, she did.”

“One child in the park turned out to have terrible asthma due to her premature birth. Her lungs couldn’t handle the pollen intake and she passed away. It’s the only akuma casualty in the two years Hawkmoth has plagued Paris. She was only five years old.” His eyes met Elaine’s, " _Selina Bernard.”_

“Is this why you’re here?” Elaine snapped. Her eyes were set ablaze. “To mock me? Remind me of my scares? My daughter died at the hand of that beast.”

“Beast?”

She blinked, startled, before continuing, “Yes, a beast. And after he went insane, Hugo is now gone too. So I don’t appreciate you reminding me of the pain and the loss I’ve endured.”

“You called the akuma… _a beast_.” Martin closed his notes and tossed them onto the coffee table along with a rugged photograph. He continued to stare at the woman, “Elaine, we both know she didn’t know what she was doing.”

Elaine’s eyes couldn’t leave the coffee table. She felt her lungs slowly condensing, preventing her from breathing. No one should know this much, nobody's supposed to know this much. All akuma cases are classified to remove any bias from civilians.

But this man knew.

The woman's fingers slowly reached and picked up the photo. As she brought the image closer to her face. She could feel her heart exploding in her chest.

There was Herba: the thick green skin, red eyes, and the vines growing out of her dark emerald dress. But Elaine knew that charming smile, and that wicked dark hair. She knew it all too well.

She knew it because it was her.

It took Elaine a moment to realize the drops falling onto the picture were her own tears. Her voice cracked, “Where’s your badge?”

Martin frowned, “Excuse me?”

Elaine’s splotchy red eyes looked up, “You’re not wearing a badge.” There wasn’t even a cop car outside. She could feel even more tears cascade down her face. 

The woman gritted her teeth and glared at him, _“Who are you?”_

A small smile crept across the so-call Officer Martin’s lips. He stood up and pulled out a pair of glasses from his jacket. It was only after resting them on the brink of his nose Elaine seemed to notice his hair being a vibrant blond, his eyes glinting a soft gray-blue, and his head thin and narrow.

His voice was deep as he spoke, “My name is Gabriel, and I am here to help you.”

Elaine paused, “Help me?”

“Of course,” the kindness in his voice made the hair on her neck raise. He began to walk around the living room while he spoke. “I’ve seen what Ladybug and Chat Noir have done to you. As you were made into a villain, forced to reek havoc on our city without the slightest clue as to what you were doing, and the “saviors of Paris” failed to save your only child. They took your daughter. And when your husband, driven to madness by the loss of his child, tried to stand up against them, they killed him too.”

Gabriel was behind her, now. She didn’t look, but Elaine could feel the warmth of his body radiating off of him. He leaned his head next to Elaine’s. His warm breath traveled passed her ear. “But I can bring them back.”

Elaine spun around and bolted onto her feet, almost knocking Gabriel over in the process, “What?”

The sly smile on his face told her that her reaction was expected, but she didn’t care. “What do you mean you can bring them back? My family is _dead _.”__

____

“There are ancient magics throughout the city of Paris,” Gabriel spoke softly. “How do you think Ladybug and Chat became superheroes?” He sighed, pulled out another piece of paper and held it in front of Elaine. It was a sketched out picture of small earings with little polka dots and a black ring with a little green paw print. The woman snatched it away from him, her eyes memorizing the symbols.

__

“You see,” he continued, “the power of our beloved heroes are given through miraculouses, magical artifacts that present the wielder talents. There are several of them scattered about the world, but the strongest are the ones Ladybug and Chat Noir hold. If someone were to use them together, they would be able to creates wonders. End world hunger. Eliminate wars.”

__

From behind, Elaine could feel his head dip down, almost resting on her shoulder. His mouth was inches from her cheek as he whispered, _“It could bring back the dead.”_

__

The picture slipped from between her fingers and drifted softly to the floor.

__

“So what do you say?” his hands wrapped around her, a motion that should've been comforting but instead felt intrusive. “All you have to do is get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous, and you could have them back.”

__

_“Hugo,”_ she breathed. _“Selina.”_

__

“Exactly.”

__

“How do we do it?” she asked.

__

“No, no, no,” Gabriel turned Elaine around, staring at her with his ice blue eyes. “I can’t do it, but you can.”

__

“Me?”

__

“Yes! You can share your story; Hugo and Selina’s story. Show everyone what Ladybug and Chat Noir have done to you, that they aren’t the perfect little superheroes everyone loves, and show how they've hurt you. Then get everyone to rally behind you and fight against this oppression. And after Ladybug and Chat Noir are stripped apart until they’re nothing more than a shell of their former selves, we take their miraculouses and bring back the people we love.”

__

Elaine stared at the man’s eyes, hungry and alive for the dream he talked about. The fire and passion was built in his man. His grin was contagious, and she couldn’t help smiling too as she thought about how miserable she had been for so long.

__

Maybe it was someone else's turn to be miserable for once.

__

“I’ll do it.”

__

* * *

__

 

__

“Dude, where have you been?”

__

Adrien was pacing around his room, slightly annoyed with the interruption. Of course, he couldn’t blame Nino. Adrien had barely talked to him the passed few days with all time he’d been at Marinette’s. And he was sure Alya had been locked in her room for days. The poor guy had been left to his own devices, which Adrien knew was a bad idea.

__

Nino continued to screech over the phone, “I have gone through my _All My Friends Are Busy And I’m Bored Out My Mind_ playlist TWELVE TIMES! Do you know how much Jagged Stone is on that baby? A lot! I am getting sick of Jagged Stone. It’s an atrocity, Adrien, you gotta help a brother out.”

__

The teen winced. He knew Nino was hitting his limit. No one gets sick of Jagged Stone.

__

“Okay, okay,” Adrien said. “I’m sorry. My dad’s been a little weary of me leaving alone, and so I’ve been stuck in my house for the past week.”

__

Nino scoffed, “Since when had that stopped us before? What happened to _Nino and Adrien?_ Sneaking out of the house to see movies, go to record shops, hang out with Marinette and Alya.”

__

Quiet crept into the call at the mention of their friends, but Nino pushed it away. “Look, we know that Marinette isn’t available currently, and Alya seems to be losing her mind, but I can’t spend another day all by myself at my house.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, “My mom is starting to get worried, and I can’t let her worry more than she already does. Please, dude, you gotta understand.”

__

Adrien felt his throat close. Nino was constantly worried about his mom overworking herself, so he tried to be out of the house as much as possible. _She works better with space,_ he’d tell Adrien when he would ask if Nino wanted to go home.

__

“I’m sorry,” Adrien said quietly.

__

“Bro, there’s no need to apologize,” Nino said. Adrien could feel him smiling from the other end. “I just wanna be us again, you know?”

__

Adrien nodded, though Nino couldn’t see it. “How about we go and try to visit Marinette today… around three? Then if that fails, we go to Betino's Record Shop.”

__

Nino whooped over the phone, causing Adrien to laugh. “Dude, you’re the best.”

__

“I know,” Adrien smiled. “But Nino.”

__

“Yeah?”

__

“It’s definitely _Adrien and Nino,_ not  _Nino and Adrien_.” He ended the call before Nino could protest, but Adrien knew he was throwing a tantrum.

__

He turned to Plagg, who was lying on his bed, picking at a plate of cheese. He hadn’t been eating much lately, which kinda spooked Adrien. Did Plagg do anything other than eat cheese?

__

“Are you ready?”

__

Plagg yawned, looking up at the boy. “Adrien…" he started, rolling onto his back. "Maybe we shouldn't go today. She might just need space.”

__

Adrien huffed. They had had similar arguments over the past week, and he was getting tired of debating with Plagg. “She’s my partner. I want to be there for her.”

__

“She’s also a girl who's experienced extreme trauma that might not be comfortable with a teenager in a skin tight cat costume that she barely knows waltzing into her room every day.”

__

“Marinette knows me,” Adrien snapped.

__

Plagg raised an eyebrow, or he would’ve if he had eyebrows. “Really? I mean, sure, Marinette kinda knows Chat Noir, a snarky teenager with a love of cat puns and driving her insane, but she doesn’t know Adrien. She doesn’t know _you_.”

__

The boy crosses his arms, “Of course she knows me. Marinette knows Chat and Adrien, and they’re both me.”

__

“Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste couldn’t be more different. Just like Ladybug and Marinette Dupain-Cheng are nothing alike.” Plagg flew up and sat on Adrien’s shoulder, “You don’t know Marinette, and she doesn’t know Adrien. You’re both kinda… strangers.”

__

Adrien frowned. That couldn’t be right. He loved Marinette, he must know her.

__

But did he?

__

“I mean, come on, “Does she know about your obsession with anime? Or that you own every Ladybug action figure to exist? Or that you want to become an animator when you grow up?”

__

_No,_ Adrien thought. _She doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know anything about me._

__

_Marinette needs to know who I am._

__

Adrien spoke slowly, “But she can know me. If I let her.”

__

Plagg’s eyes widened, “Adrien, no. That is a bad idea and you-”

__

_“Plagg, transform me.”_

__

With a flicker of green like he was Chat Noir, bolting across the rooftops of Paris and rushing to Marinette’s house. He was moving faster than he had ever before. It was like he was charged with a new drive and energy.

__

He jumped onto the balcony above the bakery and ripped open the hatch door. Chat slid down the opening and yelled, “Marinette! I have to-”

__

But Chat stopped mid sentence, as Marinette was not alone. Sitting with her in the pink room was her father, his jaw hanging from his mouth, and woman he had never met.

__

Her hair was straight and fine, dark with little streak of gray peeking through. She wore a simple dress, designed for business event and drenched in a deep scarlet. Her smile though seem forced, as if it was tampered with.

__

Though she also was surprised by Chat’s interruption, the look of awe, soon turned to a sneer. The woman stood up and walked to the window and protecting her body with a gray clipboard she had held in front of waist.

__

“This is a private meeting. You’re going to have to leave.” Chat stood, dumbfounded. He continued to stare at the women, his brain failing to that compute how she could be there.

__

“Do I need to repeat myself,” the women asked, though Adrien could tell she was going to anyway. “This is classified meeting. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

__

“Classified?” he asked. His eyes return to her clipboard, and at the back he could see a strange symbol. He squinted. It was a thick v-like symbol, encased in a circle. He blinked, making sure he wasn't seeing things, and silently gasped.

__

It was the Agreste logo.

__

“Chat,” he heard a soft voice. The hero turned to Marinette, sitting next to her father. Her eyes were pleading at him. “Just, go.”

__

The hero moved his eyes to the father, then the woman again. Her pail green eyes were enreable, and she smiled as he asked, “Who are you?”

__

“My name is Elaine Bernard. You are the reason my husband is dead. Now if you excuse me, I have a meeting to continue.”

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best chapter but it exists!
> 
> So the Agreste logo is something found on several of Adrien's clothes on magazine covers. It's kinda like a butterfly, you can google it if you're interested. 
> 
> This chapter felt a lot shorter, but I also cut out a lot due to it being useless and not adding to the plot.
> 
> Sorry no Alya :( She'll probably be back next time. But writing Nino was so much fun, even for just a little bit.
> 
> Thank you again for reading! It means sooooooooo much to me that people take time out of their day to read my stuff. 
> 
> Tune in next for probably more manipulation, confusion, and another thing that end its sion/tion.
> 
> THANK YOU


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